Minnesota fired Mason on Sunday, two days after the Gophers blew a 31-point third quarter lead against Texas Tech in the Insight Bowl and exactly one year after signing a four-year contract extension.

"If we had not lost the way we had lost, we probably wouldn't be here today," athletic director Joel Maturi said.

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Mason was 64-57 in 10 years at Minnesota and led the Gophers to seven bowl games. But he was just 3-4 in those games, with his latest loss proving to be the backbreaker despite the lengthy contract extension.

The Gophers led the Red Raiders 38-7 in the third quarter on Friday before Tech orchestrated the biggest comeback in bowl history. The 44-41 loss dropped the Gophers to 6-7 for the season, the first time they have finished under .500 in five years.

Maturi said he received plenty of e-mails from angry fans and alumni after the historic collapse in Arizona, two months after chants of "Fire Mason!" started springing up at home in the Metrodome.

"I try not to let any influence like that make any significant difference, but at the same time, I'm sure those kinds of things are involved in what is the long-term future of Gopher football," Maturi said. "And how positive can it be? Are students going to be behind us? Are fans going to be behind us? Are we going to have the energy that's necessary that we would like to move forward."

Way too many questions for him.

Maturi met with school president Robert Bruininks on Saturday and said he asked Bruininks "to support my decision to make a football change."

Mason was not present at the press conference Sunday, but issued a statement that said he was given "no specific explanation" for his firing during a phone call from Maturi.

"Needless to say, I am extremely disappointed, however I respect the decision of my superiors, Mr. Joel Maturi and president Robert Bruininks," Mason said.

For the second time in just over a month, the university will be forced to buy out the contract of a high-profile coach. Men's basketball coach Dan Monson was ousted on Nov. 30, just seven games into the season.

Mason was being paid $1.65 million annually and it will cost the university over $2.2 million to buy him out. He will receive another $1.3 million in deferred compensation.

Mason came to the Twin Cities from Kansas in 1997 and took over a Big Ten doormat that hadn't had a winning season in seven years.

The Gophers made several strides under Mason, emerging as one of the premier rushing offenses in the nation with stars such as Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney carrying the ball.

Minnesota beat Michigan in Ann Arbor for the first time in 20 years last season and also had big victories at Ohio State and at Penn State during his tenure.